Delhi recorded 209 'good to moderate' air quality days in 2024, marking the highest number since 2018, excluding 2020, which saw a significant reduction in pollution levels due to the COVID-19 lockdown, as per the Central Air Quality Management (CAQM) authority.
According to data from the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), Delhi recorded 159 'good to moderate' air quality days in 2018, 182 in 2019, 227 in 2020, 197 in 2021, 163 in 2022, and 206 in 2023. This year, the city experienced 157 'poor to severe' air quality days, the lowest since 2018 when there were 206 such days, excluding 2020, which had only 139 'poor to severe' days.
February, December, and August recorded the best average Air Quality Index (AQI) in six years, while January experienced the worst air quality since 2018, with an average AQI of 355 due to stagnant winds. The period from April to June, particularly in May, saw dry spells and high-speed winds that brought heavy dust and pollution, resulting in the worst May AQI since 2018, according to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).
Despite this, 2024 matched 2021 and 2022 for the second-best annual average AQI of 209. The year also witnessed a significant decline in stubble burning, with farm fires dropping to 12,750 in Punjab, Haryana, and surrounding areas, the data revealed.